4th & Long
by LaylaYuy
Summary: When it's 4th & Long, sometimes you just have to go for it. It's the only way to keep the ball moving.
1. Two Minute Warning

Disclaimer: I don't own any of them. And any references to the NFL and the Nextel Cup aren't mine either.

Rating: Umm, I guess K+.

Pairing: E/C

Spoilers: only 10-7 so far.

AN: Since everyoe waso nice about reviewing _The Lucky One_, I decided to add this one too. I wrote this part before seasonfour started, so as far as this goes, season four hasn't happened. Oh, and the title comes from football. The two minutewarningannounces the last two minutes of the 4th quarter.There is a second part (maybe more) that adds on to this. If you like it, I'll post part two. Enjoy!

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**4th & Long: Two Minute Warning.**

When it's 4th & Long, sometimes you just have to go for it. It's the only way to keep the ball moving.

* * *

He awoke in a cold sweat, heart pounding, gasping for breath. Sitting up and glancing at his bedside clock, Eric Delko ran his hands across his face and tried to slow his erratic breathing. But his mind refused to release the last vestiges of the horrible dream, and Eric scrambled for the bathroom.

After depositing the remains of his late and forced down dinner, Eric stumbled back to his bed, reading 3:28 on the illuminated clock face. Trembling from a mix of exhaustion, nausea, and the still lingering dream Eric collapsed on the bed, willing the images of _someone_ holding a gun to the back of Calleigh's head to fade.

"Not someone," he mind whispered. "Hagen."

He willed the rising bile back down his throat and turned on the bedside lamp. The sudden flood of light did little to remove the images from his mind. Head in hands, elbows resting on his thighs, Eric reminded himself that the dream was not real. Calleigh was alive. Not alright or fine like she claimed, but alive. Hagen had died, not Calleigh.

But the dream refused his logic. Despite full consciousness Eric could see himself one by one handing the guns kept in the gun vault to Hagen. Watched as Hagen held each gun to the back of Calleigh's head. Heard as Calleigh softly called back "Too soft. There were more clicks than that. Too hollow," while he mentally screamed as he handed the Ruger to Hagen, knowing that when Hagen pulled _that_ trigger Calleigh would die.

In his mind he begged Hagan not to do it, while Calleigh stayed perfectly still and dazed. But for all his effort to stop it, Eric saw his hand give the Hagan the gun, saw Hagan's sad smile that seem to say "I have no choice," and with a final "Calleigh!" watched as it was Calleigh's blood and brain matter that splattered against walls and ceiling.

He barely made it to the bathroom, retching until nothing more was left. He splashed cold water on his face and brushed his teeth, forcing himself not to replay the dream again. Body drained from the vomiting, the terrible day, and the general weariness that had manifested after Speed's death, Eric again collapsed on his bed.

The previous day had been horrible. Second only to Speed's death. And it was a close second. Having Calleigh point a gun at him, trying but failing to mask her fear, had scared him. There were few things that scared Calleigh like that. Her mumbled "You wouldn't hold a gun to my head, would you?" had certainly not diminished any of that fear.

He'd startled her when he found her staring into the gun vault, eyes distant and unfocused. He had hated every second of testing those weapons. Holding even unloaded weapons at Calleigh, or rather next to Calleigh, had made him feel sick.

He was a trained CSI. He knew what could happen at a scene. That fact had been cruelly reinforced when Speed died. But holding a gun to the back of Calleigh's head after coming so close to losing her earlier in the day was too much. He had gone through the test only because he knew Calleigh would find someone else if he refused, and because he wanted to honor the trust she placed in him by asking. And he knew she hadn't had any more fun during the test than he had. He'd seen the tension in her body, the shivers she'd tried to hide. So he'd been there, supported her the only way she would allow.

But now it was 3:36 am and his own trembling wouldn't stop. He needed to know she was alive, to reassure himself that she was physically safe, if not emotionally okay. He hadn't seen her since going out to the park with Horatio. He knew she'd left CSI upset. Claudia, the main CSI secretary, had confirmed as much when had inquired. He also knew she's taken her name off the board. That too had scared him. But despite numerous messages left on both her apartment machine and cell phone, Calleigh had remained silent. That was hours ago. And now he needed to know she was safe. The plan of giving her the night to decompress and think was overruled by his dream induced panic. Knowing she would be annoyed at his protectiveness and knowing that it was panic and not reason that prompted the call, he grabbed the bedside phone and dialed her apartment.

When the machine picked up, he hung up, sans message, and dialed her cell. He was surprised but almost dizzily relieved when her frustrated voice answered. "What?"

"Are you safe?" his hoarse voice croaked.

Maybe it was the question or the horrible way his voice came out, but it got Calleigh's attention. "Eric, are you alright?"

A part of him wanted to laugh. He should be the one asking that, not her. But all that came out was his original question. "Are you safe?"

Concern focused Calleigh. "I'm sitting on the beach. Eric, what's wrong?"

He sighed, further scaring her. Giving her a new reason to be upset had not been the goal of this call. "I just needed to know you were safe. It was only a dream, but I needed to know. I didn't mean to upset you."

The emotional roller coaster Calleigh had been riding all day was unprepared for the curve his words presented. She wanted to scream at him that it had been real, and she couldn't handle it. But she would not break down again. She willed herself to be strong, calling on every ounce of reserve strength she had left.

It only half worked.

"Where are you?" she asked, after what felt to both like a decade long silence.

"Home," he answered, his voice steadier.

"Will you go back to sleep?" she questioned softly.

"Not tonight," he answered back, an edge in his voice.

Without stopping to analyze or question why, Calleigh gave him her location. He grabbed two blankets from the small linen closet in the hall and grabbed his keys.


	2. First Down

Disclaimer, Rating, Pairing: See Chapter 1

Spoilers: 10-7, Killer Date, Whacked

AN: Here's chapter two! I hope you like it. And please remember that this should be happening at the end of May, so football season wouldn't have started yet. So they don't necessarily go with the what has actually happened this season. As always let me know what you think! Thanks for the comments. I really appreciate them. I'm working on part three now. Enjoy.

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4th & Long: First Down!

And the games keeps going.

* * *

Driving at 3:45 am was the closest Miami came to having no traffic, and Eric arrived at Calleigh's chosen beach in ten minutes, glad she'd picked a near by stretch of shore. Driving while nauseated wasn't generally considered a good idea.

Headlights shinning eerily off the ocean's surface, Eric parked next to the only other can in the parking lot. Calleigh's.

Carrying both blankets, he quietly walked the hundred yards to the lone person sitting in the sand. Without a word, he draped one of the blankets around her shoulders, and then doing the same for himself, sat down beside her.

The moonlight made him look pale to begin with, but it only took a single look for Calleigh to notice his slightly green skin tone. "Eric, what happened?"

He looked at her for several long moments, reassuring himself that physically she was alive and well and using the time to turn thoughts into words.

"It was just a dream. But after everything that happened today, I needed to know you were okay," he answered. "I didn't mean to worry you." He turned to face the water. She looked beyond exhausted. Her swollen and red rimmed eyes betraying the calm façade she was trying to project.

Calleigh returned his gaze to the water, wondering what he could have dreamt that would have this effect on him. She pulled the blanket more tightly around her shoulders, grateful he'd thought to bring it.

She'd been sitting her since she left the lab. Sunset has seen the disappearance of the young children and their parents frolicking in the water, giving way to teenagers and strolling couples. Calleigh had watched them dispassionately, her mind replaying time spent with John Hagen. The good memories had faded with the last light of day, leaving her slogging through the emotional battleground they traversed during their time together. But as Miami's night life took hold, both the beach and Calleigh's memories had emptied, leaving her emotionally lost. That was when the tears had come. The physical release to accompany her emotional black hole.

Grateful for the utter absence of people, Calleigh had not fought the tears. Not entirely sure just who she was crying for, Calleigh had let the tears run silently down her face. Not sobbing, but not in control either. Eventually the tears had subsided and an empty calm had taken their place.

The closing of the local bars and clubs had brought the drunk, sweaty, and tired twenty-something culture to the beach. And Calleigh had been grateful the tears were finally gone. It would have been difficult to explain a crying woman sitting alone on the beach in the middle of the night, even to drunk partiers. But the beach and chilly night had not their attention any longer than Calleigh had, and the partiers had quickly left.

The ensuing silence had been deafening, the partiers taking her mindless calm with them when they departed. With a breeze coming off the water and making her shiver Calleigh had been almost overwhelmed by a sense of loneliness and guilt. The gentle rhythm of the ocean no longer providing a soothing calm, but an endless beat unaware of anything happening on the beach.

Approaching desperate to leave but too tired to move and face her empty apartment, Calleigh had stayed. She wasn't sure how much time had passed when her ringing cell phone startled her. She answered on reflex, her voice annoyed, but inside glad for the presence of another person. But she hadn't counted on a panicking Eric being on the line. And now here they were, sitting side by side, watching the reflection of the moon on the surface of the ocean.

Calleigh turned to look at Eric. He no longer looked green. "Feeling better?" she asked.

Eric gave her a mirthless smile. "I'm not going to hurl on you, if that's what you're asking."

A tiny smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. "Must have been some dream."

Eric looked away. "It was."

Now that they were talking Calleigh didn't want to stop. His physical presence and voice were the only things keeping the loneliness and guilt at bay. "And I'm guessing since you're here, I was involved."

"Yeah."

Taking his laconic answers to mean the events of the dream were a non-topic, Calleigh moved the conversation to the NFL. Anything to avoid silence. "You watch the draft this year? Unfortunately I don't think the Dolphins will win the AFC East."

Eric looked at her in surprise. "What?"

Calleigh gave him a tired but innocent look. When he didn't answer she tried Nascar. "So far Jeff Gordon isn't having much luck in the Nextel series."

"Nascar, Calleigh? I didn't think you followed Nascar."

"I like the cars," she defended.

Eric rolled his eyes. "Yeah. I remember you and the Nascar cars. You like the car, not the engines."

Calleigh shrugged, but looked away. "The cars are impressive. As a whole."

Eric gave her a wry smile. "So we're gonna sit here at," he checked his watch, "4:30 in the morning and discuss Nascar and the NFL?"

Calleigh again shrugged, pulling her blanket closer.

"You wanna talk Calleigh, let's talk."

Eric watched her for a moment. Never one to open up about her feelings, he wasn't surprised that she wouldn't talk about why they were really there. And he didn't want to compound any of her emotional distress by explaining the dream. In truth he wasn't sure he could get it out. But her blatant distractions lacked her normal finesse. Yet another example of her exhaustion. So if she wanted to talk, he would talk.

"Honestly, I missed most of the draft. But I think it'd take a lot to turn the Dolphins into a serious conference contender."

Calleigh gave him a grateful smile, and leaned her head against his shoulder for a moment. "You think the Patriots will go all the way again?"

"Don't know. But I don't think Jake Delhomme and the Panthers will make it a second time."

"Poor Jake. He went to Louisiana- Lafayette." She shook her head sadly.

"You still rooting for the Saints?" he inquired cheekily.

"Always," she drawled. Calleigh's teasing smile was a ghost of its usual self, but it was there, and Eric relaxed a little.

When the sun finally came up, they were still sitting there, though the conversation had wandered from pro football to the upcoming college season. Eric was arguing that the U of Miami Hurricanes could make a run for the BCS title when his stomach growled loudly.

Calleigh's tired laugh was punctuated by a yawn.

Eric stood and reached a hand out to her. "I need breakfast, and I need to shower before shift."

Calleigh has calmly extended her hand to him until he mentioned work.

Eric watched the tension rush back into Calleigh's body, and mentally kicked himself. He pulled her to her feet and looked her straight in the eye. "Don't take this the wrong way, Cal. But maybe you should take a personal day. Just to get some sleep," he added trying not to come off as patronizing.

"I have twelve open cases, Eric. They can't wait. I shouldn't have left last night." Her voice had taken on a rough edge, and Eric could see guilt clouding her eyes once more.

"Working those cases on no sleep, you risk missing something. That's worse than delaying it a day. Get some sleep, and then go in tomorrow and attack." He gave her a teasing smile. "Just don't leave me alone with Wolfe for too long."

Calleigh allowed him to lead her to their cars, but she didn't verbally respond. She agreed with Eric about working the cases on no sleep. It was one thing to track a single case for 24 hours. Trying to manage twelve was something else altogether. And truth be told, she wasn't sure she was ready to face the shooting box again. But going home didn't seem like much of an option either. An empty apartment full of memories, both good and bad, with an answering machine begging for attention wouldn't leave her relaxed enough to sleep.

Eric watched her as they walked to the cars, noting her lack of emotion toward either option. Remembering his own desire to be anywhere but alone after Speed's death, a reaction that had almost cost him his badge, Eric offered a third option. Besides, she really shouldn't be driving anyway.

"Are you hungry?" he asked gently pushing Calleigh toward the passenger side of his car.

Calleigh gave him a noncommittal shrug. "Eric, I need my car."

"You said you trust me," he responded quietly.

"Eric…"

"Then trust me with this. I'm not trying to undermine you or doubting you. But you're a zombie. So let's go back to my place, grab something to eat, and if you don't want to go to your apartment, you can crash on my couch. I'll take care of telling H."

She looked up at him in surprise when he mentioned the couch. "How did you..." She started to ask about how he knew she didn't want to go home, but a yawn stole the words and left her eyes watering. She was dead on her feet, too tired to fight. "Okay. But what about my car?"

Eric opened the car door for her and then moved to the driver's side. "I'll get Wolfe to help get it back at lunch. His penance for blabbing to that reporter."


	3. Pass Protection by the Offensive Line

Disclaimer, Rating, Pairing: See Chapter 1

Spoilers: 10-7, Killer Date, Whacked

AN: So here's part three. Especially for Lourdes777 who declared herself my biggestfan! Thank you! And to everyone else who has reviewed and read: You're the reason I keep posting. So here's part three. Hope y'all like it. If I can finish 4th & Long, I actually have a really cool full case story. But I have to get there. And find time. But while I still have the chance, Enjoy!

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4th & Long: Pass Protection by the Offensive Line

When you're in mid-play, it's good to know the offensive line is backing you up.

* * *

Eric arrived at CSI headquarters at 6:30, an hour earlier than usual. He wanted to talk to Horatio about Calleigh's day before shirt officially started. He'd spent the drive analyzing his relationship with Calleigh over the years. The only conclusion he had come to, other than heavy thinking on little sleep gave him a headache, was that he missed the relationship he used to have with Calleigh. Before Hagen, before Speed's death, they had been friends in and out of work.

That was no longer the cases. They had slowly drifted apart when she began dating/fighting with Hagen. And after Speed, well they both had run to their own personal corners to hide. Their attempt to handle their grief alone had left them so far apart that neither could truly see just how much the other was hurting. Privately he wondered if his one night stands, even they could even be called that, had been as much an attempt to fill the space left by his distance with Calleigh as to avoid dealing with Speed's death. In fact he was fairly certain that was true. Of all the girls he'd hooked up with, he'd always avoided blondes. Even if they looked nothing like Calleigh, the blonde hair left him with a guilty dirty feeling that no amount of alcohol could drown.

When Calleigh had found out, supported him in spite of the hurt he could see in her eyes, covered for him, he had sworn to break the habit. He would deal with Speed's passing if for no other reason than to avoid hurting her more. At the time he'd tried not to think about why Calleigh hurting motivated him where personal safety and logic did not, but now he figured it was time to start looking at that question. Sitting on the beach with her during the darkest hours of the morning, Eric felt like he'd been given a second chance to regain their closeness. In a Calleigh kind of way she had opened up and reached out to him. And from Calleigh that was saying a lot. He had no intention of wasting that chance.

"Eric, good morning."

The sound of Horatio's voice behind him brought Eric out of his introspection. "Morning H." Before he could further reply, Horatio spoke again.

"The layout room. Gang's all here."

Eric had barely made into the layout room before Horatio and Alexx asked in unison "How is she?"

Eric smile wryly. "Asleep on my couch when I left. I told her to just sleep today, H."

Horatio gave him a smile. "Good. I was hoping I wouldn't have to send her home. Did she sleep at all last night?"

Eric shook his head. "I found her on the beach a little before four this morning. She'd been there since she left CSI."

"Has she eaten anything, Eric? She barely ate a bite yesterday," Alexx asked, ever the mother and doctor.

"I managed to convince her to eat some toast and cup of tea, but she fell asleep before finishing either of them."

"She say anything?" Ryan asked.

Eric smirked. "She doesn't think the Dolphins will win the AFC East this year.

Ryan looked confused, but Alexx and Horatio smiled. "She was taking about football?" Ryan sounded lost.

Eric shrugged. What they talked about on the beach, even if it was football, was between them. He didn't really want to share it with Wolfe. "She likes football. Acutally Wolfe, I told her I'd get her car from the beach. Will you give me a lift during lunch?"

Ryan nodded, appearing glad to be included. The newbie or not, he did care about Calleigh. "Sure."

Horatio and Alexx both said they would call her later. Then foursome then got down to the cases facing them for the day. Horatio was involved in the city wide clean up of yesterday's dirty bomb scare, and in informing Homicide of Yelina's surprise departure. A hit and run was keeping Ryan, Eric, and Alexx busy.

Eric was in the trace lab with Wolfe, analyzing a substance found on the body while they waited for Alexx's autopsy findings. Eric was lifting some unusual fibers from the victim's clothes when his cell phone rang. "Delko."

"Eric, mi hijo! I have food for you." It was his mother.

"Ma, you don't have to cook for me." It was a futile gesture to remind her of that, but he had to try.

"Eric, you need to eat. I have extra food, and you are my only son. I'm bringing it to your apartment at noon. Is that alright?" Clorinda Delko's voice never wavered.

Eric shook his head and noticed Wolfe trying to hide a smile. Mothers always won. "That's fina, Ma. But Calleigh's there. She's had a really bad night and is asleep on the couch. Please don't wake her up."

That was by far not the thing to say. He should have known better. Despite having four children of her own, Clorinda Delko had added Calleigh Duquesne to her list of kids. In fact, Eric was fairly sure that his mother worried at least as much about Calleigh as she did about him. Knowing that Calleigh was in some kind of trouble turned Clorinda into super-mom. "Is she hurt? Eric, you know you're supposed to call me if anything happens to her. She needs family support, Eric."

Eric rolled his eyes. "A friend of hers died yesterday, Ma. And Calleigh was there when it happened." He didn't want to get into the real details with his mother. If Calleigh decided to share them with her, that was different.

"Well, I'm glad you told me. I have enough food to send some to her too. I'll just drop that off at your apartment as well. Poor thing. Is she eating?"

Eric smirked . Did his mother worry about why Calleigh was at his place and not her own? No. She worried about whether or not Calleigh was eating. "I'm sure she'll appreciate the food mom. She loves your cooking."

Eric tuned his mother out for a moment, as she began to speculate on things she could do or bring for Calleigh. There was no stopping his mother when she was in worry mode. "I have to go Ma. Thank you for the food, but please don't wake Calleigh up."

"Okay baby. I'll call you later. You keep me informed about Calleigh. Poor thing hasn't heard from her mother in months." Clorinda hung up.

Eric just laughed. He'd long ago accepted that his mother was determined to adopt Calleigh.

"So your mom still brings you food?" Ryan asked, a hint of a smile.

Eric shot the younger man an amused glance. "There is no arguing with my mother. If she thinks you're not eating, then it's her job to make sure you do."

Ryan nodded. "My mother's response would be 'Go to cooking school.' How does your mom know Calleigh?" His natural curiosity overrode his caution.

Eric looked at him for a moment before answering. "A couple of years ago we got a call for a case about four am. Multiple weapon shooting in Little Havana. Just down the street from my parent's house. The neighbor's son was running drugs and the kid messed up. Gang killed the whole family. H called Calleigh and I in to help him process.

"Calleigh's in the front yard processing and collecting bullets. It takes a while since there are about sixty separate rounds. Calleigh finds one casing resting on a sprinkler head and bends over to get it. But no one had realized the sprinklers were automated. Just as Calleigh bent down, the sprinklers came on. Calleigh, trying to protect the evidence, stayed in the water and frantically started grabbing casings. I jumped in to help.

"By the time we got the sprinklers off, Calleigh and I were soaked and all the trace evidence was either soggy or gone. She was not happy." Eric chuckled, remembering the look on her face when the water finally stopped.

Ryan was grinning. He could imagine the reaction only too well.

"So my mom, who'd been on scene from the beginning refused to let the two of us finish processing the scene soaking wet. She was sure we'd catch something since it was February. So Calleigh and I were packed off to my parent's house. My mom gave Cal some of my sister's clothes and one of my sweatshirts. I had some old clothes there. So we changed and then went back. Anyway, Calleigh, true to her Southern roots, brought the clothes back to my mom along with a derby pie. They've been friends ever since."

Ryan nodded. "Interesting."

At 11:30 Eric called a break and the two men headed out to pick up Calleigh's car. Eric drove Calleigh's car back to his apartment, Ryan following. Eric parked, leaving Ryan waiting in the Hummer. Eric slipped quietly inside, placing Calleigh's car keys on the kitchen cabinet next to her purse.

He walked softly into the living room. Calleigh was still asleep on the couch, the blanket he'd wrapped around her shoulders in a pile on the floor. He resettled it around her, tucking her in. Her breathing deep and even, Calleigh's face looked more relaxed that during the night. But dark circles still marred he eyes and her skin was unusually pale. Eric reached out and gently ran once finger down her cheek. Reassured that she was sleeping soundly, Eric scribbled a quick note to her, set it by the keys, and left.


	4. Touchdown!

Disclaimer, Rating, Pairing: See Chapter 1

Spoilers: 10-7, Killer Date, Whacked

AN: Wow! You guys are so nice! Thank you for all the review! I really appreciate them! So this is the last chapter in 4th & Long. I have a sequel planned. It revolves around a case, but I promise it will be just as focused on the Eric and Calleigh. Unfortunately school just started again, so my time will be severely limited, but I'm going to try. If my prof are nice (think again. Aero/Astro profs don't remember what nice means) I'll really work on it this week. If not, piece by piece I will get it done. Thank you all again so much for the reviews!

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4th & Long: Touchdown!

You can still win the game in the last two minutes of the 4th Quarter. You may have missed plays and thrown interceptions in the 3rd, but when all is said and done, a touchdown at the end can still win the game. And when it comes to your record, all anyone will see is the victory.

* * *

Calleigh drifted slowly toward consciousness. Snuggled beneath the blanket, it was a warm and inviting smell that was pulling her to wakefulness. The telltale signs of a headache were also present and Calleigh tried to melt back into sleep. But the smell was determined and her stomach began to rumble. Her head might reject waking up, but her stomach was more than ready. With a long stretch, Calleigh slowly sat up, surprised to find herself on Eric's couch.

She wiped her eyes. They itched from the tears she'd cried the night before. And the events of the previous day crashed back into focus. Dizzy, Calleigh leaned her head back against the couch and took a deep breath. Surprised to register the smell of warm cheese, spices, meat, and corn, Calleigh looked around in confusion.

Following her nose, Calleigh walked into the kitchen. Two folded pieces of paper, a plate of Saran-wrapped empanadas, and a small plastic bad full of tea bags sitting next to her purse caught her attention. As did the oven, which was set to warm, something yummy smelling bubbling inside.

The first note was from Eric.

_Cal, _

_I picked up your car. It's out front in my parking spot. H said to take all the time you need. Both he and Alexx will call you later. My mom is coming by with food. She'll probably leave enough to feed several small countries, so please eat some. And that's all she and Alexx have asked me. "Is Calleigh eating?" Call me._

_Eric_

Well that explained the food. Calleigh put her car keys in her purse and then read the second note.

_Calleigh,_

_Mi hija! I'm so sorry about your friend. I hope I didn't disturb you when I came in. I brought food for both you and Eric. Your food is in the oven warming. Let it heat through before you eat it. Make sure you eat something, hija. The tea is your favorite. I know you always find tea soothing. If you need anything, Calleigh, call me. Vaya con Dios, _

_Clorinda_

Calleigh smiled. Clorinda Delko and Alexx Woods were to of the few people who could truly mother her without raising her defenses. It was a refreshing change from her own mother. In fact Calleigh couldn't remember the last time she had even talked to her mother.

With a sigh, Calleigh found the hotpad holders and removed a bubbling dish from the oven. The warm black bean and beef enchiladas looked heavenly. But there was definitely enough to feed everyone at CSI at least once. Grabbing a fork from Eric's silverware drawer, Calleigh took a small bite. No food in almost twenty-four hours combined with Clorinda Delko's cooking, made wonderful food taste even better. She stole a few more bites straight from the pan.

She took a deep breath. Time to face reality. People were depending on her. Running was not an option. She picked up her cell phone and moved into Eric's living room, aiming for the couch. But the photos on the far wall caught her attention. A myriad of images smiled back at her. Eric and family as kids, usually with Eric being tormented by his older sisters. Eric and family at Marisol's wedding. Again at Cristina's wedding. Random shots of the family together. In spite of differences, there was no mistaking the genuine affection, trust, and bond between the Delko family in each shot. Unlike Hayes-Duquesne family photos, all of which had tense, forced smiles.

Interspersed with the family photos were a few picture of the team. All together in some and in groups in others, but smiling or laughing, they all captured the spirit of the CSI's. Her favorite was one of the whole team. She didn't remember who had taken the picture or even why they were grouped like that, but whatever the purpose, something had set them off and not a single one of them was serious.

Eric and Tim stood on either side of Calleigh. All three were doubled over laughing, Calleigh leaning into Eric pulling Tim with her. Their smiles were honest, their closeness easily apparent. Even Alexx and Horatio were laughing, the two of them standing behind the younger CSI's. Again the smiles and happiness were real. Calleigh smiled. She missed that connection.

There was also one of just her and Eric. Speed had taken it, testing out one of their new cameras. They were standing side by side in the layout room. Pictures from some case spread out before them. She had a piece of fabric in her hands and was looking at him, an eyebrow raised. Eric was giving her a classic Delko smile. He'd made some cheeky comment. Calleigh reached out and traced his face. She hadn't realized Speed had given him that picture.

Next to the CSI photos were three others. Eric holding each of his nieces on the days they were born. He looked so proud in each picture. Tio Eric. He adored his nieces, even if he kept that out of sight in the lab.

Calleigh remembered the day Eric had come to work, complaining good naturedly about his mother and sisters taking over his apartment. They had tired of seeing the large stack of unframed, unorganized photos he kept on the coffee table. They had picked out their favorites and hung them on his wall as a birthday gift. Somehow the display suited him. Eric felt his emotions deeply, kept them near the surface. It was one of the things she admired about him.

Cell phone still in hand, she moved back to the group photo and the one of just her and Eric. They'd been so close, and she wondered for the millionth time in the past few weeks how they'd lost it without realizing it. Calleigh closed her eyes, pushing away the images of yesterday, focusing on the hours spent with Eric on the beach. In spite of the circumstances that had brought them there, last night had felt like it had years ago. And she desperately needed that. Especially now.

Opening her eyes and walking toward the couch, Calleigh opened her phone. She dialed Horatio first. He made it clear she was his concern, not her cases. "Take any time you need, Cal."

She smiled slightly. "Thank you, Horatio. I appreciate it. Really. But right now, I need to get back into the job, or I'm… I don't want let this win. And I have twelve cases open right now."

"Actually you have six. Night shift wanted to do something to help you out, so they ran six of your cases last night. They wanted to make sure you had the time if you needed it."

Calleigh paused, unsure how to respond. Should she be upset because they took her cases, or touched because they cared? She though back to Eric earlier that morning, trying to be a friend without setting off her temper. "That…that was sweet of them. Tell them I said thank you."

"How about," Horatio said, "how about we compromise. You come back to work tomorrow, but work trace for a few days. Settle back in slowly. How's that?"

"Okay. That sounds good."

"Okay then. Hang in there. And if you need anything…" he trailed off.

"Thank you, Horatio. Really."

She could hear smile through the phone. "Then you, Calleigh, you have a good night."

"Goodnight."

The next call she placed was to Alexx. "Hey baby. How are you doing? Eric said you haven't been eating."

Calleigh blinked back tears and smiled. Even over the phone, talking to Alexx was like receiving a hug. "I'm okay. And Eric's mom sent some food over. I ate some of that."

"Good. You need to keep eating. Eric said you slept."

"Yeah, for about seven and half hours."

"Okay then. Is there anything I can do for you?"

"No, Alexx, but thank you. I mean it."

"Alright Calleigh, but you need me, I'm there."

"Thanks Alexx."

Calleigh was getting ready to dial Clorinda Delko and thank her for the food when Eric walked in. "Hey."

Eric grinned at her. "How was your nap? Smells good in here."

Calleigh smiled at him. "I slept fine, thank you. And your mother made enough enchiladas to feed Miami-Dade County."

Eric set a case file on the coffee table and went into the kitchen to set down the grocery bag in his hand. "You stole some," he teased, noticing the few bites missing from the pan.

"I was hungry," she answered back.

Eric pulled out a six pack of Diet Mountain Dew and six pack of Diet Dr. Pepper. Grabbing plates, he motioned for Calleigh to come to the kitchen. After serving them both enchiladas, Eric handed Calleigh one of the plates and a Diet Dr. Pepper. Together they moved to the table. "You look better," he observed.

Calleigh gave him a tight smile. "Sleeping helped. And thank you for letting me stay. I just couldn't…"

Eric interrupted her by reaching out and taking one of her hands. "Calleigh. You are always welcome here. Anytime."

Calleigh squeezed his hand. "Thank you. You don't know much that means to me."

"Yeah, I do."

Calleigh looked him in the eye, her hand brushing his cheek to make him look at her. "Good." With a smile, she went back to eating. "So, how was CSI?"

With light laugh, Eric began telling her about his day, the two of them relaxing. He asked about her conversations with Horatio and Alexx. And they both laughed at the sheer volume of food his mother had sent over. Especially when they opened his refrigerator and found the equally large amount of food that she'd left for Eric.

"Well, I guess I should head back to my place," she said after helping him clean up the dishes.

"Yeah."

Calleigh gave him a brave smile and pulled him into hug, resting her cheek on his chest. Wrapping his arms tightly around her, Eric just held on for a moment savoring her presence. "You need me, call. Okay?"

"Okay." She pulled back just slightly. "The same to you. No dreams tonight."

"No dreams." Eric smiled softly and kissed her forehead, lingering for a moment.

With a final squeeze of his hand, Calleigh collected the food, tea, empanadas, and her purse. "I'll see you tomorrow."

As Eric started to close the door behind her, he stopped. Their friendship was back, at least for tonight, and he didn't want to risk losing it again. And whether Calleigh would acknowledge it tomorrow or not, she was grieving for Hagen. But this time he was going to stand by her, in whatever way she would let him. "Hey Cal, since we both have this Saturday off, you want to come over and watch the Nextel Cup race?"

Calleigh turned and smiled, a real Calleigh smile. "I'd like that. G'night, Eric."

He sent her a full Delko smile in return. "Night, Cal."

The End

I hope you all liked it!


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